Between the two
When Xu looked up, he saw Fan Lingzhang across from him. It was already late outside. What was Fan Lingzhang, as the host, doing in the corridor?
In the restaurant's main hall, the dancers' steps blended perfectly with the intense drumbeats, each movement exuding a captivating charm.
"Oh my, aren't these some Hu girls? Are they new here? Quickly, quickly, hand over my reward money."
As Xu leaned over the railing to look, it was no wonder that Chaoyang teased her again, saying that she was exceptionally beautiful and that every smile and frown was full of charm.
Knowing that Xu would accompany him, he took out several more gold beads.
Fan Lingzhang, as the host, must have been overjoyed, with so many people giving him tips.
That's a good idea; no wonder Yunlai Tower has remained popular in Chang'an for so long.
Fan Lingzhang: "..."
He hurriedly straightened his clothes and checked whether the sachet and jade pendant on his body were complete.
"Young Master Fan is dressed quite beautifully today, as lovely as his wife."
Fan Lingzhang: "Excellent."
As the sun rose ahead, it encountered Fan Lingzhang first. His phoenix eyes swept over Fan, who wore a pomegranate-red round collar and a well-tailored robe. In the spring sunshine, all the vibrant energy seemed to reside within him.
The crowd burst into laughter, and Xu, who had glimpsed his flamboyant demeanor from a corner of the crowd, couldn't help but feel a little unsettled.
With jade pendants and sachets at his waist, a rosy complexion, and a radiant spirit, he was truly perfect, especially with his deliberately elegant folding fan.
Xu Zhixu gave a light snort and brushed past Fan Lingzhang without lingering for a moment.
Before Fan Lingzhang could utter a sound, a blue robe swept past him, carrying away a gust of wind.
"Dan Hong, hurry up."
Afu appeared silently behind Fan Lingzhang, clicking his tongue twice. Seeing his dejected look, he probably thought Fan's wife had done something to him, but she just ignored him. Oh, she just ignored him~
Afu was making a lot of noise behind him, and Fan Lingzhang suddenly turned around and said, "What are you doing? Your face is all twisted up like a pretzel."
"Oh? The little ones are fine, but the ladies walked really fast, and now we can't see them anymore."
Fan Lingzhang's face darkened, and he turned and left, saying, "You're so talkative."
Fan Lingzhang pondered why Sui Zhixu was ignoring him. At least she would say a few words to him in the incense shop, but this time she didn't say a word or even look at him.
Petals fell from the foot of the stairs and floated on the ground. People came and went, and the wind blew the scattered petals everywhere.
The Hu Ji danced with great enthusiasm, and the maids on both sides kept throwing flower petals onto the stage. The petals fell in layers, and no one paid any attention to the small flowers in the corners.
Fan Lingzhang plucked the last petal, pinched the end with his fingertips, and held it up, gritting his teeth as he said, "You're angry with me."
Why? This was the first thought that popped into Fan Lingzhang's mind.
He thought back carefully; he had been sick two days ago, and before he got sick... That's right!
Fan Lingzhang understood. He had been sending messages to his wife, but he was too dizzy after his illness to do so, which was why his wife was angry.
Should I be angry that he spreads the message, or that he doesn't?
Fan Lingzhang was a little nervous and unconsciously fiddled with the jade pendant. "Pass it another one?" "Yes, pass it another one."
Without hesitation, Fan Lingzhang climbed the stairs to the table and began to write. The small note was filled with his description of his weakness during his illness, how he had dressed up carefully upon hearing that his wife had come, his concern for Sui Zhixu's injuries, and a list of things to be careful about while ill, subtly expressing his longing and care.
After finishing writing, Fan Lingzhang examined it carefully, then called the carrier pigeon over to deliver the message with satisfaction. He poked its belly and said, "You've really gotten fat, all round and plump. Can you still fly?"
The carrier pigeon pecked Fan Lingzhang hard on the tiger's mouth, then got up and left gracefully.
Fan Lingzhang: "..."
Never mind, as long as it can fly, that's fine.
Jianjia Pavilion
As soon as Sui Zhixu opened the mailbox, several letters flew out and landed squarely on his face.
Sui Zhixu: "..."
As Xu's face darkened, he took off the cards one by one, thinking to himself that Fan Lingzhang had better be in trouble.
One little note after another, Xu rolled them up and read them over and over again…
She snorted and picked up her pen: "The bird is too fat. It is not allowed to send messages until it gets thin."
As soon as Xu Gang finished writing, Sui Chengyu ran over crying and reached out to touch her, saying, "Waaah, let me see your injury."
A crimson blur came into view, and tears welled up in Chengyu's eyes in an instant.
"How come there's such a huge area? Why didn't Liu Lü protect you well? Dan Hong isn't from the Medical Clinic, how can she be so useless? How can she still be so terrifying after several hours?"
The ground cinnabar: "?"
"Second Mistress, the young master's injuries have improved somewhat. However, recovery is a slow process and he will need to rest for a few more days."
My dear second wife, you can speak ill of people behind their backs.
"I'm fine, but the female physician you arranged in the Sui family's hut in Jingzhou gave herself away and was almost reported to the clan elders." Sui Zhixu held the carrier pigeon in his hand. The pigeon's little head kept moving and posing in various ways, and it would lift its feet and lower its head from time to time.
Sui Chengyu choked, staring longingly at Sui Zhixu.
Dan Hong picked up the conversation, raising her chin, "Thanks to my strong connections, the current head of the medical guild is my junior sister. She suppressed the matter and told me first."
As he released the pigeons, he turned to her and said, "You can choose to continue, or you can stop."
"Don't stop, no! Cousin." Sui Chengyu hugged Sui Zhixu and sobbed, her voice hoarse, "I don't want him to live, I don't want him to."
Xu was caught off guard and grabbed her, gently pulling her head away from the scalded area.
After returning home, she changed into summer clothes, but she couldn't resist bumping into her.
Through her teary eyes, Sui Chengyu raised her head and asked, "Aren't you going to ask me why, cousin?"
Sui Zhixu said calmly, "Say what you want to say, or say what you don't want to say."
Sui Chengyu leaned against Sui Zhixu's chest in a muffled voice, while Sui Zhixu felt as still as a wooden stake.
After a long while, the candle wax fell from the candlestick, and the lamp flame flickered on the platform. Sui Chengyu slowly got up, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she did so.
"It's getting late. Go back and have your maid put a compress on your eyes so you can get some rest."
The evening breeze in April carried a slight chill. Dan Hong draped a cloak over Sui Zhixu's shoulders from behind, saying, "It's chilly in the courtyard. My lady will catch a cold if she's dressed too lightly."
Sui Zhixu took another cloak from Dan Hong's arm and draped it over Sui Chengyu, saying, "You're weak, be careful."
The cloak also concealed the wisps of unknown thoughts. As Cheng Yu raised her eyes, she met Dan Hong's gaze.
Dan Hong grinned at Sui Chengyu from where Sui Zhixu couldn't see, and the two glared at each other without Sui Zhixu noticing.
"I understand. It's chilly at night, cousin, you should go back quickly." As Sui Chengyu walked to the entrance of Jianjia Pavilion, she suddenly turned around and called out to Sui Zhixu, "Thank you, cousin!"
Just as Xu Gang turned around, he heard the sudden shout and turned back abruptly. Only a blurry and hurried glimpse of a pale yellow hem remained at the doorway.
Sui Zhixu's expression remained indifferent, and he turned away calmly.
"Isn't Second Madam coming too often?"
"Really? It's alright."
Danhong tried hard not to roll her eyes, "That's because you spoil Second Mistress too much. Second Mistress is practically treating Jianjia Pavilion as her own courtyard."
"It's alright."
Dan Hong: "..."
She didn't understand. At first, she thought the mistress didn't like the second mistress, after all, the second mistress had lived in the main courtyard for many years, and even many people in the mansion were used to having only one mistress. But after a few months, the mistress had become quite indulgent towards the second mistress, and apart from asking some questions at the beginning, she didn't care at all what others said.
Danhong was puzzled, but she didn't care. Whatever her mistress said, she would do as she pleased. She tried her best not to argue with her mistress.
The next morning, Sui Zhixu got up and exercised with Liu Lü.
Sui Zhixu slashed at Liu Lü with a ruthless blow. Liu Lü moved nimbly, lightly touching the ground with her toes, and dodged to the side. Sui Zhixu saw this and slashed his sword horizontally, the blade vibrating in the air and emitting a sharp whistling sound.
Liu Lü continued to dodge, and as they went back and forth, large beads of sweat dripped down Sui Zhixu's forehead and cheeks.
She placed her hands on her thighs and gasped for breath.
The wind rustled through the leaves behind him, and Sui Zhixu gripped his knife tightly and slashed backward with all his might.
"Hey, hey, hey! Murdering your teacher?" Yue Ling's slender fingers gripped the blade. Her pale yellow dress had an orange tinge. She spoke seriously, yet her eyes held a smile, making her seem even more approachable despite her otherworldly demeanor.
Sui Zhixu threw the knife aside and asked her, panting, "Why are you here? It's only May."
“If his side weakens, I can naturally come out earlier.”
Yueling poked Sui Zhixu's forehead with her hand, "How did I end up with such a disciple? I don't want to talk to you, and you really don't say a word to me. All those years I raised you for nothing! I even fed you well and fed you the best food in the Taoist temple, making you plump and healthy. Don't you see how you've become? You're all skinny!"
Su Zhixu asked in confusion, "You're also at the Taoist temple?"
"Otherwise what? When you were little, I was the one who gave you a bath after you fell into a mud puddle."
The more she talked, the more outrageous it became, until Xu Zhixu sternly stopped her, "Age in months!"
"What are you yelling about?" Yueling reached out and pinched Sui Zhixu's face, but as soon as she got close, she frowned in disgust and shouted, "Ugh, go take a bath and wash up, you're suffocating your teacher with the stench."
Sui Zhixu gritted his teeth, turned around, and went into the house.
Liu Lü stood in the corner with her arms crossed. Yue Ling smiled as she saw Sui Zhixu enter and take a liking to her. She squinted and smiled, "Liu Lü, you have quite the skills. No wonder you're from the Military Academy. My apprentice has so many talented people around him. Hey! Isn't Chu Feixuan, the head of the Military Academy, your master?"
Liu Lü closed her eyes and ignored Yue Ling. As soon as she finished speaking, she instantly drew her sword in front of her.
"Don't be so nervous. I am the national advisor and your wife's teacher. What don't I know? Your steps are light and your swordsmanship is agile. You have the style of Chu Feixuan. You've learned well."
Yueling kept talking non-stop, but Liu Lü sheathed his sword, leaned against the wall, and ignored her.
When Sui Zhixu came out, this was the scene she saw. She walked up to Yueling and covered her mouth, saying, "Are you going crazy? You can even talk to a dog on the street."
"What?" Yueling's mouth was covered, and her words came out in a muffled tone.
Sui Zhixu pointed to the big yellow dog that Dan Hong raised and said that it depended on her for survival, and he kept pestering her to stay.
Yueling laughed awkwardly, let go of Sui Zhixu's hand, and gently slapped Sui Zhixu on the back of the head.
"No respect for elders."
“From today onwards, I will frequently stay at the Prime Minister’s residence to teach you. Rest assured, I will make you a successful head of the family, just like your mother, Sui He. I was able to teach you well before, and I can teach you well now.” Yue Ling placed her hands on her orange dress, which outlined her smooth waist.
Sui Zhixu said calmly, "I am not the same person I used to be."
"So what?" Yueling whispered in Sui Zhixu's ear, "Your soul remains unchanged, so what about Sui Zhixu? What about the 'you' of the past? The two merge into a completely new person, and you are still you, your nature remains the same."
Yue Ling, with her slender figure, completely enveloped Sui Zhixu, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. With her other hand, she vigorously ruffled Sui Zhixu's hair and laughed loudly, "Now you're a fragrant little lady."
Despite Xu's impatient turn away, she still couldn't escape Yueling's clutches.
"Stop rubbing!"
"I don't."
Various sounds emanated from Jianjia Pavilion: Yueling's unrestrained laughter, the servants' attempts to stop her, and Sui Zhixu's protests.
The servants of the Prime Minister's residence quietly moved together, their heads close together, and whispered, "He's never been this agitated as the young master before. I always thought the young master was very calm and wouldn't be this... uh, angry?"
"Never seen this before, he's opened his third eye. The young master has become more energetic since the Grand Preceptor came. I heard that the young master was taken to the dojo by the Grand Preceptor and grew up there until the Grand Preceptor returned to the Grand Preceptor Hall two years ago."
Suddenly, Sui Zhixu's loud shout came from inside the walls of Jianjia Pavilion, "Yueling! Get out of here!"
The maid outside the wall: "..."
I was so scared that I dropped the broom in my hand.
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